Brief Engagement and Acceptance Coaching for Hospice Settings (the BEACHeS study): Results from a Phase I study of acceptability and initial effectiveness in people with non-curative cancer.

Objectives: Transitioning into palliative care is psychologically demanding for people with advanced cancer, and there is a need for acceptable and effective interventions to support this. We aimed to develop and pilot test a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based intervention to improve quality of life and distress. Methods: Our mixed-method design included: (i) quantitative effectiveness testing using Single Case Experimental Design (SCED), (ii) qualitative interviews with participants, and (iii) focus groups with hospice staff. The five-session, in-person intervention was delivered to 10 participants; five completed at least 80%. Results: At baseline, participants reported poor quality of life but low distress. Most experienced substantial physical health deterioration during the study. SCED analysis methods did not show conclusively significant effects, but there was some indication that outcome improvement followed changes in expected intervention processes variables. Quantitative and qualitative data together demonstrates acceptability, perceived effectiveness and safety of the intervention. Qualitative interviews and focus groups were also used to gain feedback on intervention content and to make design recommendations to maximise success of later feasibility trials. Conclusions: This study adds to the growing evidence base for ACT in people with advanced cancer. A number of potential intervention mechanisms, for example a distress-buffering hypothesis, are raised by our data and these should be addressed in future research using randomised controlled trial designs. Our methodological recommendations—including recruiting non-cancer diagnoses, and earlier in the treatment trajectory—likely apply more broadly to the delivery of psychological intervention in the palliative care setting

The Effect of Passive Smoking on Asthma Symptoms, Atopy, and Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Schoolchildren

Passive smoking is a major cause of respiratory morbidity, and is associated with increased bronchial responsiveness in children. To evaluate the effect of smoking by a parent on asthma symptoms, atopy, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 503 schoolchildren that involved questionnaires, spirometry, allergy testing, and a bronchial challenge test. If the PC20 methacholine was less than 16 mg/mL, the subject was considered to have AHR. The prevalence of a parent who smoked was 68.7%. The prevalence of AHR was 45.0%. The sensitization rate to common inhalant allergens was 32.6%. Nasal symptoms such as rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal itching, and nasal obstruction were present in 42.7%. Asthma symptoms such as cough and wheezing were present in 55.4%. The asthma symptoms were significantly more prevalent in children who had a parent who smoked than in those whose parents did not. The nasal symptoms, atopy, and AHR did not differ according to whether a parent smoked. In a multiple logistic regression model, the asthma symptoms and atopy were independently associated with AHR, when adjusted for confounding variables. Passive smoking contributed to asthma symptoms in schoolchildren and was not an independent risk factor of airway hyperresponsiveness in an epidemiological survey

Book review: Women, Public Policy and the State

Review of: Women, Public Policy and the State edited by Linda Hancock. Melbourne : Macmillan, 1999. ISBN: 0732955319

The phytogeography and ecology of the mosses within the San Juan Islands, Washington State

Floristic work on bryophytes in the state of Washington has been confined mostly to the mainland with little information available for the San Juan Islands. After four years of field work and an extensive search of historical records from herbaria throughout the region, the San Juan Islands prove to contain a diverse moss flora within a small geographic area; this flora consists of 224 species and varieties, 33 families and 97 genera. Four species Drepanocladus crassicostatus, Orthotrichum hallii, Tortula papillosa and Tortula laevipila var. meridionalis are reported new for the State of Washington. Tortula laevipila var. meridonalis is new for the United States and represents the second North American location. Detailed ecological observations were made for each collection and distributions for each species have been mapped. Keys are presented to both genus and species. The bulk of this flora is composed of circumboreal species that are derived from a once widespread Arcto-Tertiary flora. During the Pleistocene these islands were completely glaciated and the present flora represents, therefore, species that have migrated back into the region predominantly from southern refugial sites probably during the Hypsithermal Interval described by Deevey and Flint (1957). A cooling trend about 2000 yr. B.P. probably caused the southern element species to retreat southward throughout the region with fragments persisting only in those areas where favorable conditions also remained. The San Juan and adjacent islands can be interpreted as a "modern" refugium for southern mediterranean type climate species.Science, Faculty ofBotany, Department ofGraduat

Personal Papers (MS 80-0002)

Gift tag with a color image of Santa's head surrounded by green holly curly-cues above printed text: "Compliments of Strachan Shipping Company." The name "Mr. D. W. Kempner is handwritten on a line at the top of the tag and a separate handwritten note in the center of the card says "Scotch White Horse.

A mechanically based magneto-inductive transmitter with electrically modulated reluctance.

Magneto-inductive (MI) communication is a viable technology for wireless communications in underwater and underground environments. In this paper, a new design for an MI transmitter is presented. Unlike conventional MI transmitters that utilize coiled loops or solenoids to generate magnetic fields, we demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of using a rotating permanent magnet. We also present and experimentally verify a modulation technique that does not involve changing the rotational speed of the magnet. By electrically changing the permeability of a surrounding shield, the fields from the rotating magnet are amplitude modulated. Our findings suggest that increased efficiency and bandwidth can be realized compared to conventional MI transmitters